Film scripts and screenplays Books

Book SynopsisRing Lardner, Jr.'s memoir is a pilgrimage through the American century. The son of an immensely popular and influential American writer, Lardner grew up swaddled in material and cultural privilege. After a memorable visit to Moscow in 1934, he worked as a reporter in New York before leaving for Hollywood where he served a bizarre apprenticeship with David O. Selznick, and won, at the age of 28, an Academy Award for the classic film, Woman of the Year, the first on-screen pairing of Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. In "irresistibly readable" pages (New Yorker), peopled by a cast including Carole Lombard, Louis B. Mayer, Dalton Trumbo, Marlene Dietrich, Otto Preminger, Darryl F. Zanuck, Bertolt Brecht, Bert Lahr, Robert Altman, and Muhammad Ali, Lardner recalls the strange existence of a contract screenwriter in the vanished age of the studio system--an existence made stranger by membership in the Hollywood branch of the American Communist Party. Lardner retraces the path that led him to a memorable confrontation with the House Un-American Activities Committee and thence to Federal prison and life on the Hollywood blacklist. One of the lucky few who were able to resume their careers, Lardner won his second Oscar for the screenplay to M.A.S.H. in 1970.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWriters seeking to create novels and screenplays with genuine layers and depth will find essential insight in Mitchell German’s Your Storytelling Potential!After studying filmmaking and screenwriting at NYU—one of the premier film studies programs in the United States (if not the world)—Mitchell German graduated with a complete doctrine on storytelling theory in his arsenal; yet his screenplays still lacked the potency he desired. He spent ten years studying every available book and “expert” on storytelling, but it wasn’t until 2002, after endlessly studying the movie Liar Liar, that Mitchell found the key and developed the Your Storytelling Potential Method. The truth about great storytelling is hidden in plain view for anyone to see, but nearly every expert ignores the most basic story construct. In Your Storytelling Potential, writers who seek to tell great stories will find: A complete understanding of the Identifiable Traits great novels and screenplays (namely movies) have that distinguish them from the other 99.99% of books and screenplays written every year How to use Two Stories within a screenplay and novel, which exponentially increases the chances of those stories gaining buzz and attention A proper understanding of the critical and essential role of Subplots to create genuine character depth and relationships How to properly integrate a Theme for stories to convey deep, relevant, and amazing ideas An outline for utilizing A/B Parallel Story Structure and the Simple Story Timeline to build multi-dimensional stories with the required converging events of the A-Story/B-Story relationship How the premise of every great story is created by the convergence of the A & B Storylines, and how this Key Information can unlock Your Storytelling Potential

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe acerbically funny and intimate screenplay for acclaimed visual artist Martine Syms's debut film, The African Desperate.The African Desperate follows Palace Bryant on one very long day in 2017 that starts with her MFA graduation in upstate New York and ends at a Chicago Blue Line Station. Set against the lush backdrop of late summer, Palace navigates the pitfalls of self-actualization and the fallacies of the art world. Shot through with Syms’s celebrated conceptual grit, humor, social commentary, and vivid visual language, The African Desperate leads us through picturesque landscapes and artists studios, from academic critiques to backseat hookups, and from the night of a wild graduation party to the morning of a lonely trip back home.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere are many elements in the concept of visual continuity, and they are all interrelated. In films or film series that are described as sequels, establishing a visual integrity relationship between films comes to the fore. The concept of the sequel appears in two ways. Sometimes, while the ideas are scripted, the story is divided into more than one part. Sometimes the story is planned as a single movie, and after a certain time, it can be realized as a follow-up movie/film for different reasons. In both systems of expression, it is necessary to seek harmony between all elements of visual design.Examinations and Analysis of Sequels and Serials in the Film Industry examines certain contents through the concepts of cinematography and narrative, focusing more on the practical side of cinema and partially on the theoretical side. It examines samples, sequels, serials, and trilogy universes on the axis of cinematography and narration. Covering topics such as film landscape, repeated narrative elements, and storytelling, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for film industry workers, film students and educators, sociologists, librarians, academicians, and researchers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFive Conversations About Peter Sellers is an essay that begins as an exploration of the author’s burgeoning obsession with Peter Sellers, and specifically his role in hijacking and derailing production of the spy spoof, Casino Royale, in the late 60s. But what begins as a reported piece on how the film set erupted into chaos, quickly devolves into its own chaos as the essay splits into 5 different narrators, each with their own idea of what the essay is actually about. Is it about how Peter Sellers and his oversize ego ruined Casino Royale? Is it about how society has too long allowed horrible men to run the world? Is it an exploration of the nature of the essay as a creative form? Or is Peter Sellers and his genius at impersonation actually a vehicle through which the author probes her own shifting identity as a bi-ethnic person? The answer is...yes. From Five Conversations About Peter SellersBeth: There’s a passage in Notes from Underground where the narrator speaks about the perverse pleasure of knowing your own vileness. ‘This pleasure comes precisely from the sharpest awareness of your own degradation; from the knowledge that you have gone to the utmost limit; that it is despicable, yet can’t be otherwise, that you no longer have any way out, that you will never become a different man.’ Build all the utopias you want, but some people can only know they’re alive when they’ve destroyed everything beautiful around them.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisNadezhda Ptushkina's plays reflect her keen interest in constructing multidimensional characters that reflect the myriad ways people are affected by today's turbulent world. Often writing strong female roles, she does not shy away from exploring the sometimes tragic implications that lie behind her comical, almost farcical scenes. Ptushkina questions the nature of love, and explores the boundaries between the spiritual and the base, the constructive and the destructive, that lie within every human being. Conflict between the sexes constitutes the core of Ptushkina's plays, in which she warns the audience against confusing sex and love. Ptushkina rejects any notion that men and women are the same, seeing gender differences rather than personality differences as the main source of tension between men and women. Her plays thus dwell on this 'battle of the sexes' and the resulting lack of respect for women that she sees in today's Russia.In this new translation, western readers have a chance to discover why Ptushkina's work holds such wide appeal in the Russian theatre.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOn the heels of their six-time Academy Award®-winning smash, La La Land, Oscar®-winning director Damien Chazelle and star Ryan Gosling reteam for Universal Pictures’ First Man, the riveting story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon, focusing on Neil Armstrong and the years 1961-1969. A visceral, first-person account, based on the book by James R. Hansen, the movie explores the sacrifices and the cost—on Armstrong and on the nation—of one of the most dangerous missions in history. First Man: The Annotated Screenplay is the official companion to the movie, and features a wealth of stunning photography, alongside the full shooting script. Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Josh Singer (Spotlight) and James R. Hansen, whose book First Man is the only authorized biography of Armstrong, provide an in-depth commentary on the challenges of dramatizing a fact-based historical motion picture. Exclusive annotations separate those facts from the dramatic fictions the filmmakers utilized, as well as explain the overarching dramatic choices made in telling the story of the man behind the icon.Trade Review“a gorgeously-produced piece of work” - Birth.Movies.Death“gives an entirely different experience of this journey to space” - The Film Stage Review “gave a huge insight to the highly anticipated movie, and made me honestly want to learn more about Armstrong and the other astronauts that took place within this time frame” - Geekisphere"An enjoyable read and an insightful one for those who want to learn about how to write screenplays." - Cinema Sentries

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlan Bennett sealed his reputation as the master of observation with this series of 12 groundbreaking monologues, originally filmed for BBC Television. At once darkly comic, tragically poignant and wonderfully uplifting, Talking Heads is widely regarded as a modern classic. This edition, which contains the original complete collection of Talking Heads, as well as his earlier monologue, A Woman of No Importance, is a celebration of Alan Bennett's finest work.Trade ReviewTalking Heads places Alan Bennett in the highest tier of English dramatic writers * New York Times *His finest achievement - indeed masterpiece wouldn't be too strong a word * The Daily Telegraph *Bennett's genius is his ability to satirize humanely. [His] prose is like stained glass: if you stare at it, you see things you missed * New York Times Book Review *It's hardly a revelation to say that Alan Bennett has proved himself a master of the modern dramatic monologue... One of the finest dramatic achievements of the past few decades. * Scotsman *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisCommissioned by Oliver Stone in 2015 to commemorate the Russian Revolution, Tariq Ali's captivating screenplay of the life and times of Vladimir Lenin puts flesh on the bones of the historical record and gets its pulse racing. From the author of The Dilemmas of Lenin, the drama captures the enigma of its central character. Ali shows Lenin in his rush from Switzerland to Petrograd by train to grasp his moment in history and the force of his personality on the tumult he found there. He made a revolution and remade a nation. Interwoven with the politics is an exploration of Lenin's personal life, especially his love for Inessa Armand.In the introduction, Ali argues that, despite the difficulties, a serious cinematic assessment of Lenin is still needed. Unfortunately, two very different attempts to film one failed. This first draft provides the basis for something on a grander scale at some stage in the future. Praise for The Dilemmas of Lenin 'Aims to rescue Lenin from both liberal caricature and Soviet hag- iography by recovering the realism and dynamism of his political thought' David Sessions, Nation'An incredibly powerful, panoramic, and insightful study of the central revolutionary figure of the twentieth century' Paul LeBlanc, author of Lenin and the Revolutionary Party Table of ContentsIntroductionThe Lenin ScenarioChronology of Lenin's Life and WorksGlossary of Names

Read more less

Book SynopsisA NEW, REVISED EDITION OF THE ULTIMATE NORA EPHRON COLLECTION, PACKED WITH WIT, WISDOM AND COMFORT, WITH AN INTRODUCTION FROM CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS'The perfect introduction to the iconic writer' STYLISTINCLUDING:* Nora's much-loved essays on everything from friendship to feminism to journalism* Extracts from her bestselling novel Heartburn* Scenes from her hilarious screenplay for When Harry Met Sally* Unparalleled advice about friends, lovers, divorces, desserts and black turtleneck sweaters'It's got a little bit of everything, from witty essays on feminism, beauty, and ageing to profiles of empowering female figures' ELLE*PRAISE FOR NORA EPHRON*'So bold and so vulnerable at the same time. I don't know how she did it' PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE'Nora's exacting, precise, didactic, tried-and-tested, sophisticated-woman-wearing-all-black wisdom is a comfort and a relief' DOLLY ALDERTON'Nora Ephron is the funniest, cleverest, wisest friend you could have' NIGELLA LAWSON'I am only the one of millions of women who will miss Nora's voice' LENA DUNHAM

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book seeks to reshape the way that writers think about constructing their story, looking at the subject from the inside out. Often practitioners and theorists examine work through the separate lenses of character and/or structure and then bring them together. Within this book, authors Hughes and Wilkes argue that character is structure and one without the other makes for a dissatisfying narrative. Through detailed case studies on films that span all genres, from mainstream franchises like The Hunger Games (2012-2015) and Shrek (2001-2010) to art house films such as Toto Le Heros (1991) and Eraserhead (1977), the authors reveal the dramatic imperative behind the central choices or dilemmas faced by every protagonist in every classic feature length narrative. They argue there is only one of five choices that any writer must make in inventing that key transition from the protagonist’s ordinary world into the adventure that will form the heart of their story. Using the universal language of folk and fairy stories, this book gives writers and students a clear framework through which they can reference and improve their own storytelling. In doing so, it enables both the novice and experienced screenwriter to tell their story in the most authentic and impactful way, while keeping their protagonist at the heart of the narrative.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION 1. THE BEGINNING ACT 1 – PART 1 – ONCE UPON A TIME ACT 1 – PART 2 – THE INVITATION ACT 2 – THE DARK FOREST 2. THE MIDDLE ACT 3 – PART 1 – DANGERS, ENCHANTMENTS, LOVE AND MAGIC ACT 3 – PART 2 – MONSTERS, FAILURES AND IMPOSSIBLE TASKS 3. THE END ACT 4 – THE LAST THROW OF THE DICE ACT 5 – (UN)HAPPILY EVER AFTER 4. CASE STUDIES 5. THE BEGINNING, THE MIDDLE AND THE END – BREAKING THE PARADIGM BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book seeks to reshape the way that writers think about constructing their story, looking at the subject from the inside out. Often practitioners and theorists examine work through the separate lenses of character and/or structure and then bring them together. Within this book, authors Hughes and Wilkes argue that character is structure and one without the other makes for a dissatisfying narrative. Through detailed case studies on films that span all genres, from mainstream franchises like The Hunger Games (2012-2015) and Shrek (2001-2010) to art house films such as Toto Le Heros (1991) and Eraserhead (1977), the authors reveal the dramatic imperative behind the central choices or dilemmas faced by every protagonist in every classic feature length narrative. They argue there is only one of five choices that any writer must make in inventing that key transition from the protagonist’s ordinary world into the adventure that will form the heart of their story. Using the universal language of folk and fairy stories, this book gives writers and students a clear framework through which they can reference and improve their own storytelling. In doing so, it enables both the novice and experienced screenwriter to tell their story in the most authentic and impactful way, while keeping their protagonist at the heart of the narrative.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION 1. THE BEGINNING ACT 1 – PART 1 – ONCE UPON A TIME ACT 1 – PART 2 – THE INVITATION ACT 2 – THE DARK FOREST 2. THE MIDDLE ACT 3 – PART 1 – DANGERS, ENCHANTMENTS, LOVE AND MAGIC ACT 3 – PART 2 – MONSTERS, FAILURES AND IMPOSSIBLE TASKS 3. THE END ACT 4 – THE LAST THROW OF THE DICE ACT 5 – (UN)HAPPILY EVER AFTER 4. CASE STUDIES 5. THE BEGINNING, THE MIDDLE AND THE END – BREAKING THE PARADIGM BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis collection of Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen’s film scripts vividly evokes the close connection between their influential work as theorists and their work as filmmakers. It includes scripts for all six of Mulvey and Wollen’s collaborative films, Wollen’s solo feature film, Friendship’s Death (1987), and Mulvey’s later collaborations. Each text is followed by a new essay by a leading writer, offering a critical interpretation of the corresponding film. The collection also includes Wollen’s short story Friendship’s Death (1976), the outlines for two unrealised Mulvey and Wollen collaborations, and a selection of scanned working documents. The scripts and essays collected in this volume trace the historical significance of a complex cinematic project that brought feminist, semiotic and psychoanalytic concerns together with formal devices and strategies. The book includes original contributions from Nora M. Alter, Kodwo Eshun, Nicolas Helm-Grovas, Esther Leslie, Laura Mulvey, Volker Pantenburg, Griselda Pollock, B. Ruby Rich and Sukhdev Sandhu.Trade ReviewThis noble and overdue compilation serves as a much-needed affirmation of their powerful cinematic oeuvre. -- Bruno Guaraná * Film Quarterly *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Contributors Introduction Oliver Fuke Introduction Laura Mulvey Section 1 - Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen’s Collaborative Films 1. Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 2. Scorch the Earth, Start from Zero: Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons Nicolas Helm-Grovas 3. Riddles of the Sphinx Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 4. Towards New Theoretical Instruments: Riddles of the Sphinx Volker Pantenburg 5. AMY! Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 6. The Curse of Celebrity, Colonial Territory and the Flight to Freedom: AMY! Griselda Pollock 7. Crystal Gazing Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 8. Economic Forecasting and the End of the Avant-Garde: Crystal Gazing Esther Leslie 9. Frida Kahlo & Tina Modotti Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 10. Muse, Mutilation, Mastery, Martyr: Frida Kahlo & Tina Modotti B. Ruby Rich 11. The Bad Sister Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 12. Timeshifting: The Bad Sister Sukhdev Sandhu Section 2 - Peter Wollen’s Friendship’s Death 13. Friendship’s Death (fiction) Peter Wollen 14. Friendship’s Death (script) Peter Wollen 15. ‘Aliens wherever they have to go’: Friendship’s Death Kodwo Eshun Section 3 - Laura Mulvey’s Later Collaborative Films 16. Disgraced Monuments Mark Lewis and Laura Mulvey 17. Preserving History: Disgraced Monuments Nora M. Alter 18. 23rd August 2008 Faysal Abdullah, Mark Lewis and Laura Mulvey 19. Two Portraits: 23rd August 2008 Laura Mulvey Section 4 - Outlines for Unmade Collaborative Films 20. Possible Worlds Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 21.Chess Fever Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen Section 5 - Working Documents Bibliography Filmography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis collection of Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen’s film scripts vividly evokes the close connection between their influential work as theorists and their work as filmmakers. It includes scripts for all six of Mulvey and Wollen’s collaborative films, Wollen’s solo feature film, Friendship’s Death (1987), and Mulvey’s later collaborations. Each text is followed by a new essay by a leading writer, offering a critical interpretation of the corresponding film. The collection also includes Wollen’s short story Friendship’s Death (1976), the outlines for two unrealised Mulvey and Wollen collaborations, and a selection of scanned working documents. The scripts and essays collected in this volume trace the historical significance of a complex cinematic project that brought feminist, semiotic and psychoanalytic concerns together with formal devices and strategies. The book includes original contributions from Nora M. Alter, Kodwo Eshun, Nicolas Helm-Grovas, Esther Leslie, Laura Mulvey, Volker Pantenburg, Griselda Pollock, B. Ruby Rich and Sukhdev Sandhu.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction - Oliver Fuke Introduction - Laura Mulvey Section 1 - Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen’s Collaborative Films 1.Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons - Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 2.Scorch the Earth, Start from Zero: Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons - Nicolas Helm- Grovas 3.Riddles of the Sphinx - Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 4.Towards New Theoretical Instruments: Riddles of the Sphinx - Volker Pantenburg 5.AMY! - Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 6.The Curse of Celebrity, Colonial Territory and the Flight to Freedom: AMY! - Griselda Pollock 7.Crystal Gazing - Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 8.Economic Forecasting and the End of the Avant- Garde: Crystal Gazing - Esther Leslie 9.Frida Kahlo & Tina Modotti - Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 10.Muse, Mutilation, Mastery, Martyr: Frida Kahlo & Tina Modotti - B. Ruby Rich 11.The Bad Sister - Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 12.Timeshifting: The Bad Sister - Sukhdev Sandhu Section 2 - Peter Wollen’s Friendship’s Death 13.Friendship’s Death (Fiction) - Peter Wollen 14. Friendship’s Death (Script) - Peter Wollen 15.‘Aliens wherever they have to go’: Friendship’s Death - Kodwo Eshun Section 3 - Laura Mulvey’s Later Collaborative Films 16. Disgraced Monuments - Mark Lewis and Laura Mulvey 17. Preserving History: Disgraced Monuments - Nora M. Alter 18. 23rd August 2008 - Faysal Abdullah, Mark Lewis and Laura Mulvey 19.Two Portraits: 23rd August 2008 - Laura Mulvey Section 4 - Outlines for Unmade Collaborative Films 20.Possible Worlds - Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen 21.Chess Fever - Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen Section 5 Working Documents Bibliography Filmography List of Contributors Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery award-winning short film begins life with a clever idea, a good story and a screenplay. Patrick Nash analyses the process of writing short film screenplays and gives advice on: Story and structure Ideas generation Plot and pace Screenplay format Dos and don'ts Eliciting emotion Dialogue and subtext Character design Protagonists and antagonists Character motivation and goals Conflict, obstacles and stakes Clichés and Stereotypes Beginnings, middles and ends Hooking the viewer Screenplay competitions Loglines, outlines and synopses Rewriting and length Practicalities and budgets The book also includes a number of award-winning scripts and interviews, advice and contributions from their award-winning screenwriters and a discussion of the benefits to writers of writing short screenplays.Trade ReviewI would definitely recommend this book . . . (it is) a very thorough look at all aspects of being a writer of short scripts -- Michelle Goode * Writesofluid *Straight talking tome bursting with practical advice * Total Film *A helpful book for anyone interested in screenwriting -- Tom Farr * Tom Farr Reviews *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat happens when 'happy ever after' isn't quite so simple? Today's attitudes to love and romance are as varied and diverse as individuals, and audiences want and need more sophisticated, authentic films that show how we live and love now. So what does this mean for the screenwriter developing a romcom? And how do they write heart-warming stories for a genre that is constantly evolving, from bromcom to zomcom to famcom? Writing and Selling Romantic Comedy Screenplays offers a fresh approach to creating narratives for this ever-changing genre. Moving away from rigid and limited definitions that have evolved out of mainstream genre films, the book embraces a working definition that crosses cultural and national boundaries to give screenwriters around the world a truly international perspective on writing comedic love stories. It will be the first screenwriting guide to reflect the diversity of approaches in today's films that deal with the human need for emotional and physical intimacy using humour - the contemporary romantic comedy. Features of the book include: Illuminating, challenging and provocative about the state of the rom-com genre. Why do some films feel so dated, while others are perennially relevant? Explores and defines all subgenres of romcom, such as zomcom, bromedy, soromcom and famcom. Uniquely draws on creativity, screenwriting genre theory and film industry practice. Stimulating creative exercises at the end of every chapter, and 'hot tips' throughout. Adaptable concepts that can be applied to both feature films and short films. Encourages screenwriters to define their own values about love to ensure their voice and message is original - and commercial. Case studies and analyses of produced screenplays, including Dostana, Due Date, I Give it a Year, I love You, Man, Midnight in Paris, Ruby Sparks, Tamara Drewe, Ted and Warm Bodies. Interviews with writers, directors and producers. Genuine international perspective. Indispensible guide for both the student and the professional writer or filmmaker.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Art of Screenplays is a working handbook for writers with stories to tell. Addressing the key issues of creativity and craft, its aim is to connect with our natural understanding of story, to demystify the screenwriter's art, and to enable fresh, original and authentic writing. Working on the central premise that drama reflects nature, and screenplays simply echo life as we know it, the areas Mukherjee discusses include: The Writer's eye. How to gather, ferment and communicate story. The art of action. Understanding structure through observation. Who am I? Exploring the levels of characters. Vertical structure. Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Speak the speech. The art of not writing dialogue. Trade ReviewRM comes across as what he is: a screenwriter of real experience who has the confidence and knowledge of having worked extensively at the industry coal-face with a lot of really good credits in TV and feature films. Unlike many screenwriting books, he writes from a position of authority - and it shows -- Philip Shelley * Script Consultant *an insightful guide that prompts readers to think for themselves -- Dominic Carver * The Scriptwriter *'a really interesting mix of theoretical study and practical experience...Highly recommended for both beginners and experienced writers' * Write So Fluid *Brilliant and original...far and away the best writing guide I've read. It should become must reading for all of us, students and tutors alike -- Paul Bryers - award winning writer, filmmaker and producerone of the most beautifully written books about screenwriting that I've ever read * Scriptangel *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A clear, insightful and sensitive look at the work of script editors and screen writers' - Hossein Amini: writer of Drive and writer and director of The Two Faces of January The Art of Script Editing provides a comprehensive overview of this vital role, examining its responsibilities and functions during all stages of the development process, both in film and television. Detailing the nuts and bolts of the job, it looks at what's required and expected, how script editors assess a script, their approach to working with writers and producers, and their input during rewrites and pre-production, and up to a project's completion. It also examines the ways in which writers and producers can benefit from working with a professional script editor as they seek to refine and communicate their vision. The Art of Script Editing; A Practical Guide is a valuable resource for anyone developing a script no matter where they are in the process, for writers and producers interested in expanding their understanding of how a script is advanced, and for those pursuing a career in script development.Trade ReviewA clear, insightful and sensitive look at the work of script editors and screen writers -- Hossein Amini: writer of Drive and writer and director of The Two Faces of January

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo screenwriters once walked into a Hollywood producer's office and said three words 'Jaws in space.' Those three words won them the contract for the blockbuster movie Alien. The ability to pitch well is essential for all writers, directors and producers in cinema and TV. Strong pitching skills will accelerate your career - not only helping you sell your projects, but also developing them in the first place, focusing on what makes a story work, clarifying character and plot, and working more successfully with industry collaborators. This book takes you from the essentials of what makes a good pitch to advanced skills that will help you in all kinds of pitching situations. Charles Harris gives a clear-sighted view of how pitching works in the industry and a series of very practical techniques for developing a gripping and convincing pitch. Drawing on his experience, he examines the problems that can arise with both mainstream and unconventional projects - from a range of different cultures - and explains how to solve them. He also analyses the process of taking a pitch meeting and shows you how to ensure you perform at your best.Trade ReviewEverything you need to know about pitching and a whole lot more -- Nicola QuilterCharles Harris has created the perfect handbook for anyone who is a bit uncertain or scared about pitching their work * www.writesofluid.com *Charles makes the whole process of pitching seem so enjoyable -- Elinor * Lock and Load, Brides of Christ *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJill Nelmes is Senior Lecturer at the University of East London, UK. She is the author of Writing the Screenplay, founder of The Journal of Screenwriting, and editor of An Introduction to Film Studies and Analysing the Screenplay. She studied screenwriting at UCLA, has been a script reader in Hollywood, and has had a number of feature length screenplays in development.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlan Bennett sealed his reputation as the master of observation with this series of 12 groundbreaking monologues, originally filmed for BBC Television. At once darkly comic, tragically poignant and wonderfully uplifting, Talking Heads is widely regarded as a modern classic. This edition, which contains the complete collection of Talking Heads, as well as his earlier monologue, A Woman of No Importance, is a celebration of Alan Bennett's finest work.Trade ReviewTalking Heads places Alan Bennett in the highest tier of English dramatic writers * New York Times *His finest achievement - indeed masterpiece wouldn't be too strong a word * The Daily Telegraph *Bennett's genius is his ability to satirize humanely. [His] prose is like stained glass: if you stare at it, you see things you missed * New York Times Book Review *It's hardly a revelation to say that Alan Bennett has proved himself a master of the modern dramatic monologue... One of the finest dramatic achievements of the past few decades. * Scotsman *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1997, a BAFTA award-winning British film about six out of work Sheffield steelworkers with nothing to lose took the world by storm. And now they’re back, live on stage, only for them, it really has to be The Full Monty. Simon Beaufoy, the Oscar-winning writer of the film, has now gone back to Sheffield where it all started to rediscover the men, the women, the heartache and the hilarity of a city on the dole. The Full Monty was the winner of the UK Theatre Best Touring Production award 2013.Trade Review"'The Full Monty has been reborn as an uproariously entertaining Eighties-set play - West End producers are dying to get their mitts on it, and small wonder - Every inch a whopping hit' The Telegraph 'Darkly joyous - this play could have rested on its laurels as sure-fire house filler in its home city. But instead it provides a brilliantly entertaining night out which was rapturously received [with] a strenuous and richly-deserved standing ovation, sending hundreds of theatregoers spilling out into the streets laughing and happy... Chuffing brilliant.' Independent 'Screen-to-stage adaptations are two a penny, but Simon Beaufoy's play, inspired by his own screenplay for the 1997 movie - is the full Monty in more than one sense. It's a raucous and touching piece of popular theatre that captures the mood of the 1980s, when a generation of men realised that their jobs-for-life in the steel industry were gone, and they were on the scrap heap - this is a show with a heart the size of Sheffield. It's a total blast.' Guardian 'Enjoyably fresh - It all, of course, culminates in the big strip of the title - But by now the men have revealed far more of themselves to ensure the ongoing popularity of this story and the warm glow of enjoyment that palpably spreads around the audience.' The Stage"

Read more less

Book SynopsisFirst book in any language to focus on Alphaville, published on the 40th anniversary of its release Uses new interviews with Godard's main collaborators on the film to reveal new aspects Explores its multiple influences, on 'Blade Runner', for example, or 'Code 46' 2005 is the fortieth anniversary of Alphaville's release and there's also a major reassessment of Godard under way. So this is an ideal moment to publish this, the first ever full appraisal of Godard's highly influential classic of sci-fi noir. Chris Darke writes about how, working without sets, special effects, or even a script, Godard made a dystopian vision of a technocratic future city. He explores the film's unique combination of genres and styles, its remarkable creation the secret agent Lemmy Caution, and uses his new interviews with the director's collaborators to chronicle the film's production. He also relates Alphaville to Godard's later work, setting it in the context of his wider career and of its influence on other filmmakers and artists.Trade Review'Darke's book is as timely as it is superlatively written and researched... as entertaining and pleasurable to read as it is incisive.' - Time Out 'Darke brilliantly shows how this is much more than science-fiction fantasy.' - Financial Times 'Illuminating... Darke's absorbing meditations never fail to engross. It is a style born of the poetry of Orpheus, not the logic of Alpha 60... a downright pleasure to read.'- Film InternationalFILM INTERNATIONALDarke's musings on Alphaville prove both enlightening and a downright pleasure to read.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis2022 edition of the UEA MA Scriptwriting creative writing course anthology

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe invite you to open your mind and engage your imagination, with twenty-two diverse and gripping tales written for the stage and screen. Set across the world, from London to Paris, the backroads of Eastern Europe to the post-apocalyptic highways of the United States, across forests and cliffsides, and even to Heaven itself, these varied pieces tackle subjects from desperate survival, to unrequited love, to exploring new identities. Hiking through Rendlesham Forest, Jay searches for aliens and confronts his childhood trauma in Pareidolia. Jerry struggles with the most important decision of his life... whether or not to shave his moustache, in MoustOUCHe. Two young brothers make the discovery of their lives in Mortars.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFamed playwright Israel Horovitz has written more than 70 produced plays, which have been translated in more than 30 languages worldwide. Along the way, he has also written screenplays for film including Author! Author!, starring Al Pacino, as well as the award-winning Sunshine, James Dean, and The Strawberry Statement. At the age of 75, he directed an adaptation of his play My Old Lady, starring Kevin Kline, Maggie Smith, and Kristin Scott Thomas. Now he shares tips and techniques on adapting plays for the screen. The book includes the full script of both the play version and screenplay of My Old Lady, along with an in-depth analysis by Horovitz of the challenges of adapting the written language of a play to the visual language of the screen. He discusses what inspired him to consider adapting the play in the first place, and his diligent efforts to distill the spoken language of the play into the visual language of film. In discussing his adaptation process, Horovitz also reveals his brilliant insights into the creative process itself, as well as how to keep inspired during the course of a lengthy writing career.Trade Review"Horovitz illuminates the process of adapting spoken drama for film and provides lessons for students and practitioners of both forms ... Copious examples are included ... For libraries that serve students of writing for film and stage." --Library Journal "Adapting a play to the screen can be a perilous undertaking. Language--the very thing that makes play great--can be the enemy of the cinematic experience. Luckily, Israel Horovitz is the perfect guide for this undertaking. He is a passionate master of both forms and a born teacher. This book is essential reading for anyone wanting to take on the challenge." --Barnet Kellman, director, Key Exchange (stage and film), Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Murphy Brown, Mad About You; Professor, USC School of Cinematic Arts, Co-Director, USC Comedy Dept. "This is essential reading for serious film students and filmmakers. Israel Horovitz, prolific playwright and screenwriter, combines personal experience with important information on the adaptation process and how to move from the more linear language of theatre to the visual language of cinema. A must-read!" --Bette Gordon, film director and professor, Columbia University School of the Arts Film "Brimming with bon mots and experience from his rich life in the theatre, Horovitz's essay on adapting dramatic works should be required reading for aspiring (and established) writers of stage and screen alike." --Abbie Van Nostrand, Samuel French, Inc. "Horovitzs complete stage play and screenplay must be read by every aspiring screenwriter or filmmaker." --Ulcer Alakabrova, Let the Movie Move Us "The magic of "My Old Lady" lies in the preternatural skill with which Mr. Horovitz propels his beautifully drawn characters toward what you trust will be their predestined fates. This is the kind of play in which you want your expectations to be fulfilled, and don't feel manipulated in the least by the machinations that lead you down the path to the final destination." --The Wall Street Journal "A thoroughly original cinematic tale." --AARP The Magazine "A crowd-pleaser. Maggie Smith is Masterful!" --Hollywood Reporter "My Old Lady ... is a delight." --Daily Express "[My Old Lady is] compelling viewing, People who complain about the absence of genuine adult drama from cinema screens have an opportunity to put their monies where their mouths are here." --RogerEbert.com

Read more less

Book SynopsisJordan Peele's powerful thriller Get Out debuted in 2017 to enormous public and critical acclaim, a Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? for the age of Obama and Trump that scared audiences and skewered white liberal pieties at the same time. Rather than rely on popular archetypes, Peele weaves together the material realities and daily manifestations of horror with sociopolitical fears and elements of true suspense, and combines them with pitch-perfect satire and a timely cultural critique. This companion paperback to the film presents the Peele's Oscar-winning screenplay alongside supplementary material. Featuring an essay by author and scholar Tananarive Due and in-depth annotations by the director, this publication is richly illustrated with more than 150 stills from the motion picture and presents alternate endings, deleted scenes and an inside look at the concepts and behind-the-scenes production of the film. Continuing in the legacy of 1960s paperbacks that documented the era's most significant avant-garde films such as Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon, Jean-Luc Godard's Masculin/Feminin and Michelangelo Antonioni's L'Avventurra Get Out is an indispensable guide to this pioneering and groundbreaking cinematic work.Jordan Peele (born 1979) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer and director. Peele's directorial debut, Get Out (2017), earned him an Academy Award for Best Original screenplay as well as nominations for Best Picture and Best Director. In 2012, Peele founded Monkeypaw Productions, which amplifies marginalized voices and cultivates artistic, thought-provoking projects across film, television and digital platforms, including Peele's follow-up to Get Out, the thriller Us (2019).Trade ReviewNamed 'Best Screenplay of the 21st Century (So Far!)' * Writer's Guild of America *This svelte, softcover, pocket-sized volume memorializes Peele’s Oscar-winning script for the first time in print. Proceeding from a new foreword by Peele, 150 gorgeous black-and-white stills thread through the screenplay and into an appendix rich with brand-new material, including cut dialogue, deleted scenes, and Peele’s annotations on the whole production. But the Annotated Screenplay’s most ingenious intervention into the dense critical discourse around Get Out was to tap Tananarive Due to author its proper introduction, an essay titled “Get Out and the Black Horror Aesthetic.” Due is a leading scholar in the emerging study of Black horror, and even teaches a course at UCLA on the subject called “The Sunken Place.” [...] This new framing unlocks a deeper level of engagement with the film... -- Ryan Coleman * Los Angeles Review of Books *Blending horror and dark humour, the director’s multi award-winning screenplay reveals the terrifying realities of racism in America. Famously, Peele has described his directorial debut as a “documentary”. Now, the annotated version gives fans the opportunity to learn more about Peele’s screenwriting process. -- Vivian Yeung * Crack *Peele’s 2017 thriller made the director’s name and won the Oscar for best original screenplay. Now the script is available in book form, illustrated with stills. -- Keith Bradsher * New York Times *Reading the notes, which are extracted from a thoughtful but very conversational interview Peele did for the book...makes you feel like you’re watching the movie with Peele himself. -- Naomi Elias * Film School Rejects *[In Get Out: the Annotated Screenplay,] Peele uncovers additional subtle clues and allusions in the flm that may not be essential knowledge but give insight on the construction of the characters, their psyches, and ultimately their interactions. -- Ina Archer * Film Comment *Dive deeper into the Sunken Place with this dissection of Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning screenplay, including dialogue from deleted scenes and an essay on the black horror aesthetic. -- Mekado Murphy * New York Times: 2019 Holiday Gift Guide *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe brilliant screenplay of the forthcoming film The Trial of the Chicago 7 by Academy and Emmy Award–winning screenwriter and director Aaron Sorkin.Sorkin’s film dramatizes the 1969 trial of seven prominent anti-Vietnam War activists in Chicago. Originally there were eight defendants, but one, Bobby Seale, was severed from the trial by Judge Julius Hoffman—after Hoffman had ordered Seale bound and gagged in court. The defendants were a mix of counterculture revolutionaries such as Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin, and political activists such as Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, and David Dellinger, the last a longtime pacifist who was a generation older than the others. Their lawyers argued that the right to free speech was on trial, whether that speech concerned lifestyles or politics. The Trial of the Chicago 7 stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Frank Langella, and Mark Rylance, among others, directed by Aaron Sorkin. This book is Sorkin’s screenplay, the first of his movie screenplays ever published.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisRobert De Niro at Work is the first critical study to examine how Robert de Niro, perhaps the finest screen actor of his generation, works with screenplays to imagine, prepare and denote his performance. In categorising the various ways in which De Niro works with a screenplay, this book will re-examine the relationship between actor and text. This book considers the screenplay as above all a working document and a material object, present at every stage of the filmmaking process. The working screenplay goes through various iterations in development and exists in many versions on set, each adapted and personalised for the specific use of the individual and their role. As the archive reveals, nobody works more closely with the script than the actor, and no actor works more on a script than De Niro. Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Chapter One: Literature Review & overview of De Niro’s Career.- Chapter Two: Research and Exegesis.- Chapter Three: Notation.- Chapter Four: Preparation.- Chapter Five: The Writer’s Voice.- Chapter Six: Case Studies.- Chapter Seven: Actor as Writer.- Conclusion.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCharacter drives plot. Based on this principle, this book walks aspiring writers through the fascinating world of character-driven screenwriting. When a writer engages their characters, they start a process which naturally leads to the story’s structure and everything else that makes for a well-written narrative. Exploring the protagonist’s journey and their “unity arc,” Myers explains how a family of characters surrounds the protagonist and influences their transformation process. This easy-to-follow guide features activities that will help writers of any level develop their stories from concept to scene-by-scene outline. Based upon a popular workshop Myers has led with over a thousand writers at all levels of experience, this book is a must-have for screenwriting students, both undergraduate and graduate, and those looking at advanced story development.Table of ContentsPart I: The Protagonist’s Journey as Narrative Imperative.- Chapter One: The Protagonist’s Journey – Due to their central role, engaging the Protagonist is the most important aspect of the story-crafting process.- Chapter Two: Character Arc – In movies, there exists a recurring variety of character arcs including the most popular: positive transformation.- Chapter Three: Disunity – The Protagonist needs to change as reflected in their initial state of disunity.- Chapter Four: Deconstruction – Entering the New World, a series of challenges and trials deconstructs the Protagonist’s old ways of being.- Chapter Five: Reconstruction – Freed from their old ways of being, the Protagonist is reconstructed by embracing heretofore untapped inner potential.-Chapter Six: Unity – The Protagonist brings together all they have learned in the story’s final struggle and in doing so achieves unity.- Chapter Seven: The Protagonist’s Place Within the Screenplay Universe – The Protagonist’s journey interweaves between the External World and the Internal World.- Part II: The Protagonist’s Journey as Family of Characters.- Chapter Eight: Primary Character Archetypes – Five narrative dynamics common to movies represented by these archetypes: Protagonist, Nemesis, Attractor, Mentor, Trickster.- Chapter Nine: Nemesis – By providing opposition to the Protagonist, the Nemesis generates sustained conflict which creates the central drama of the story.- Chapter Ten: Attractor – During their journey, the Protagonist intersects with Attractor characters who connect with the Protagonist’s emotional development.- Chapter Eleven: Mentor – The Protagonist meets another type of ally, the Mentor who provides wisdom and contributes to the Protagonist’s intellectual growth.- Chapter Twelve: Trickster – A shapeshifter tests the will of the Protagonist by switching from ally to enemy, enemy to ally, and generating complications.- Chapter Thirteen: Subplots – Each Protagonist relationship with key characters is a mini-story with its own arc, theme, and contribution to the overall narrative.- Chapter Fourteen: Character Map – There is a structure to the Protagonist’s relationships with the story’s major characters.- Part III: The Protagonist’s Journey as Screenplay.- Chapter Fifteen: Breaking the Story I – Begin the story-crafting process by engaging the story’s central character with a Protagonist Character Treatment.- Chapter Sixteen: Breaking the Story II – Use a series of brainstorming exercises to explore the story universe and develop its characters.- Chapter Seventeen: Breaking the Story III – A first pass at wrangling the plot by working with Four Primary Plotline Points.- Chapter Eighteen: Breaking the Story IV – Track the Protagonist’s transformation arc through Four Themeline Movements.- Chapter Nineteen: Breaking the Story V – Expand the framework of the plot by identifying Ten Major Plotline Points.- Chapter Twenty: Breaking the Story VI – Construct the final story structure, both Plotline and Themeline into a Narrative Throughline.- Chapter Twenty-One: Writing the First Draft – Break down the writing process into sets of scenes from one Plotline Point to another all the way through the Denouement.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book offers a comprehensive analysis of the writing and production strategies used in live-action fiction film and television produced for children and young audiences, in a period marked by remarkable change in screen consumption.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAimed at students and educators across all levels of Higher Education, this agenda-setting book defines what screen production research is and looks like—and by doing so celebrates creative practice as an important pursuit in the contemporary academic landscape. Drawing on the work of international experts as well as case studies from a range of forms and genres—including screenwriting, fiction filmmaking, documentary production and mobile media practice—the book is an essential guide for those interested in the rich relationship between theory and practice. It provides theories, models, tools and best practice examples that students and researchers can follow and expand upon in their own screen production projects.Trade Review“The collection of essays is comprehensive and, maybe even more importantly, it provides a starting point from which creative and academic discourse can take place. … encourages students and scholars to be open-minded about the possibilities of screen production research.” (Ashley R. Spillane, Film Matters, Vol. 09 (3), 2018)Table of Contents

Read more less